1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for accessing patient fluid lines. In particular, the present invention is an access connector that may be opened by a tubular portion of a medical device, such as a male luer taper of a syringe.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the course of treating patients, clinicians are continually transferring patient fluids between various containers and intravascular (IV) lines or through IV catheters. Transfer of these fluids is preferably through a closed system to prevent microbes from entering the system and causing infections in the patients. Many of these closed systems have relied on the use of a needle to penetrate a rubber or silicone septum to gain access to the fluid lines. The clinician may then inject fluid into or withdraw fluid from the patient via a needle and syringe. The septum reseals after the needle is withdrawn, which prevents backflow of the fluids and closes the system once again.
Because of the concern over accidental puncture with needles contaminated with a patient's blood or other fluids, needleless mechanisms have been developed to access patient fluid lines. One such mechanism utilizes a silicone septum that has a slit in it wide enough to allow a standard male luer taper to access the fluids. In this type of mechanism, the silicone septum is encompassed by a thermoplastic housing. With current connectors, the septum is bonded to the housing with adhesive.
Consistent bonding is needed to prevent the septum from rotating within the housing while a male luer-lock taper is locked and unlocked from the connector. In addition, as a male luer taper is drawn out of the septum, the taper tends to stick to the septum and stretches the septum out of the housing. If the septum is not properly bonded to the housing, the septum will pull out, or, as the taper slips off the septum, the septum snaps back into the housing causing fluids to spatter.